


Unexpected

by CowandCalf



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Chin and Kono and Kamekona are mentioned, Danny surfs, Emotional Comfort, Emotional Sex, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Not Episode Related, Originally Posted on Tumblr, POV Steve, early years, some sweet McDanno love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:47:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23855596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CowandCalf/pseuds/CowandCalf
Summary: Steve wasn't fond of celebrating his birthday, too many hurtful memories tinted his joy. Everyone was busy anyway, except Danny.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 56
Kudos: 208





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I don't own the show or the characters. The following story is a work of fiction. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
>  **A/N**  
>  This ficlet was originally posted on Tumblr as a short one-shot. I wrote it for an anon ask with the question of what Danny would present Steve for his birthday. I edited the originally posted ficlet and added some important scenes that were missing. This story is finished. The next update will come soon. I only need to edit the last bit. To work on this sweet McDanno fic was also a nice time-out from the big sequel I'm currently writing for the boys.
> 
> Thank you a lot for reading. I hope you'll enjoy.

Steve would be home in half an hour. He tried not to think at all but his mind wouldn't shut up. The hell with it. He was a grown man. Yeah, he was going to spend the evening alone. So what? It wouldn't be the first time. He only needed to hold out until the last few hours of this day were over and then he was safe for another year. He knew how to deal with uncomfortable situations. 

There was no reason to sulk over the fact that no one would show up on his doorstep tonight to celebrate with him. If he was honest, he didn't want anyone to come over. It was easier that way. He was used to be alone. But if he didn't try to fool himself, he wished nothing more but to be surrounded by his friends on this special day. But he had no idea how to ask. He would be fine. It was no big deal. Why couldn't he just pretend it was a normal Wednesday like all the other damn Wednesdays for the rest of the year?

He always thought the older he got the easier this day would be to deal with.

Steve sighed and tapped the steering wheel with his fingertips. Today was his birthday. He was being stupid, and in his opinion also a bit pathetic. He should have finally found a way to let this go.

Steve shook his head and felt like an idiot for overthinking this. It still meant too much to him. He didn't want to give in to the wish to turn back time. He couldn't magically make it all go away so he could feel light-hearted, more appropriate, and a bit excited instead of being weary to face an empty house on this special day. And by the way, it was his own choice to be alone. People were busy. He told everyone flippantly that he wasn't invested in celebratory days. Damn, they had to face crime and violence. The work schedule didn't allow his team to stay around to watch him blow out candles on a cake. Just for the record, he needed to be fair and he wanted to give his team the credit, they had acknowledged his special day. 

Kono baked a cake for him and Chin slapped his back. Danny – Danny called him 'birthday boy'. It felt good. His team would swing by on Sunday for lunch. They wanted to make it up to him. Steve had no chance to butt in with suggestions. He got overruled by just everyone. Danny watched from afar how Steve's Sunday got hijacked and spread out wide on the tech table where Kono and Chin discussed the details of a nice Hawaiian barbecue. Kamekona was already informed and equipped with a shopping list. Steve wasn't good at being the center of a discussion that included balloons and what kind of fish they wanted on the menu. He stopped them when it got out of hand with the numbers of guests Kono had planned to invite. No, he wasn't fond of the Governor sitting in the backyard of his house. 

It cost Steve self-control to stand there as their boss instead of hugging all three of them to express his gratitude for making his day so much better, for making him loved and for being _ohana_. Steve was overwhelmed. A sensation he faced with helplessness and a bit of anger. 

He got impatient with all the work that had to be done but he hadn't the heart to interrupt their discussion. He caught Danny's gaze and he looked too pleased with himself. Danny whispered something behind the thick glass of his office. Steve starred him down but he could have sworn Danny sang him a birthday song that ended with a question. He was good at reading lips but Danny's lips always messed up his thoughts. But he got 'face' and 'annoyed' and again 'birthday boy'.

He shouldn't put too much thought into the nervous flutter in the pit of his stomach when he remembered how Danny looked at him, singing a song, too quiet for him to hear. But Danny sang him a song.

Steve was hell-bent not to reveal how much this day meant to him. He brushed it off as a distraction he couldn't use. There were hardly easy days for the feared task force of Hawaii. Their timetable was always packed. Today, he fought a two-hour meeting with the Governor about the financial expenses H50 cost the taxpayers. He tried to submit only reasonable arguments to his defense. Danny would have punched him for playing dumb and innocent and for the way he flunked about the number of explosives that were involved in certain operations.

Steve jerked from his deep musing about the day. He drove on autopilot and had no idea how he made it through the last five miles. God, his thoughts were all over the place. Steve tried to focus back on traffic. He needed to get home quickly. He craved distraction, otherwise, he'd end up moping all evening. Driving home alone wasn't the best idea. But he didn't have the fire to deal with Danny. He would have only mocked and complained without a single pause about his terrible answers he gave the Governor and all the other choices he made throughout the day. Danny was a walking wander on two legs Steve hadn't figured out yet. 

He didn't rejoin his team after the meeting with the Governor. Danny would rip him a new one for sneaking out on him. He just wanted to go home, to make this day go faster and be over with. He should feel fine. Even Danny would be with Grace for a short visit today. His team and his work filled his days and gave him a sense of belonging. 

The first encounter with Danny was nerve-wracking and promising. During the last year, Steve had gotten a taste of what might be, of what he could have in his life. Danny's voice was already his compass in challenging times. Danny stilled the raging mess inside him. He made the pain fade into the background. The dizzying outcry his father screamed into the receiver disappeared for a while when Danny turned to look at him with his blue, blue eyes.

Steve hadn't found a way to fight the pull it had on him. Danny had no idea why Steve darted him piercing, fuming looks or why he stared a hole through the windshield during heated discussions. Steve couldn't take the emotional gut-punch when he'd turn his head to catch Danny's glance and how he tried to dismantle him emotionally on their way to the crime scene. He didn't often dare to face Danny's wild, blond mess, when they drove with the windows rolled down. The seductive invitation was strong to follow the wind's example. Steve clenched his fist to stop himself from leaning over to run his fingers through Danny's soft hair. Everything Danny did was stupidly attractive.

Fuck this, he completely zoned out again. Steve couldn't believe the circles his mind was caught up in. This senseless mind-carousel should have stopped by now. It was no big deal. First, he whined about not celebrating his birthday and just now he daydreamed about Danny again. Jesus. Crime didn't just hit the brakes because the head of the Governor's task force had something to celebrate. And besides, everyone had a life to go home to. But it was days like these that rubbed the obvious proof in Steve's face that there was no life waiting for him at his parents' house. Only empty rooms with old, wore-down furniture.

That was one hell of a self-pity party he was having again. Every year he fought the same ghosts. He swore to punch this stupid, emotional mood right in the face but he didn't succeed. Here he was sulking again, feeling down. Steve didn't want to think too much about his birthday and the lack of family to celebrate it with. Mary had sent him a text early in the morning. She had to work and she would call tomorrow.

His team and his work were what filled his days and made his life bearable. He still struggled to fill out his free time. Evenings were still a challenge. Maybe he could continue to work on his dad's Marquise. That would be nice. He could remember the good times with his dad. Yeah, why not. He couldn't fool himself. Special days always reminded Steve what he didn't have anymore – parents, a family, a safe place to stay where birthdays got celebrated. 

Steve opened the window to breathe in the salty air and to feel the wind in his hair. He needed a distraction. He could do it. No big deal. Maybe he would even watch a movie. Couldn't hurt. He had enough beer and he would dig up some chips from somewhere in his kitchen. 

Steve didn't work on the Marquis. His butt rested against the workbench. The red Champ box stood exactly where he had put it back. He ended up musing about his dad and the little boy he once was. He could still remember how the excitement felt when he spent time with his dad, fixing his old car. Those were good but also painful memories. And there was this new vibe in his father's garage. The air was filled with very new, very vivid memories of the fierce behavior of one Detective Danny Williams when they first ran into each other right where he stood. Steve gazed down at his hands and wondered how they would look like pressed against Danny's fair skin, how his chest hair would feel under his fingertips.

Steve was fed up with himself at one point. He stomped out of the garage and yanked the door close with a bang to put an end to all these aimless, yearning thoughts.

The water from the hot shower pelted down on the hard muscles between his shoulders. He took his time to wash away the day's grime. The cleaning helped to clear his mind. The comfy worn-down sweat pants and the freshly washed, soft Navy shirt helped to slip into a more relaxed mood.

He was about to shift into a comfortable position on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table, beer in hand and a bowl of microwave popcorn in his lap when there was a knock on the door. What about his football game? Jesus. Who would that be? Should he pretend not to be home? Steve didn't expect anyone. He groaned and reluctantly got up. He hoped it wouldn't be his neighbor who wanted to engage him into a compassionate conversation about her medicinal plants. He wasn't in the mood for a tour in the old lady's backyard. Not tonight.

He put the beer back into the fridge and eyed the tasty-smelling popcorn longingly before he turned around to get to the door. The knock got louder and was more persistent this time. Who the hell was that impatient? That wasn't his neighbor. She wouldn't dare to knock more than once. And again, there was another loud, unambiguous bang on the door.

"Hey! What's wrong? I'm coming, I'm coming! Keep your pants on." Steve hurried through the living room. His voice was a tad too annoyed. He tore the door open. "Danny?" He said with disbelief and eyed him from head to toe, _twice_. "Danny? What – do we have a case?"

"A case? No, no case. I would have called. We have cell phones remember? What's with the face, huh?" Danny tilted his head and glared at him. "You didn't expect me?"

Steve was already heating up. Every single one of Danny's words made him tense up. His behavior was always flippant and arrogant. And those characteristics shouldn't be so damn attractive. Steve's defenses shot up. "No, I didn't expect you." He answered blocking the entrance with his bulk. Steve stopped short, taken aback, "and why uhm, why do you wear surf shorts and a rash guard? What –? What's up?" Steve steadied himself. He changed from towering over Danny to clenching the doorknob. He had hoped to avoid such a confrontation by sneaking out on the team. He didn't head back to the office after he returned from HPD for the single purpose to dodge Danny and his blue eyes.

Of course, Danny acted offended. "You're serious, big guy? You didn't expect me? After you just headed home without calling me or sending me one of your stupid, short texts?" Danny shoved Steve aside and made a beeline for the kitchen. "I hate when you sneak out on me, thinking you succeed with such a dumb move."

Steve might have gasped a little. He blurted, "I didn't sneak out on you. What now? A text? You had plans with Grace! Why should I text you?" Why was Danny already walking into his kitchen? Steve's hand wrung the doorknob. He had the feeling to wade through hip-deep water. Steve's mind was slow with the catching-up.

"I hope you have some Longboards stored in your poorly equipped fridge." Danny's slippas made a cheerful sound on the hardwood floor.

Danny was the only person who could disarm Steve, the skilled, deadly trained SEAL only with the way he sauntered in board shorts through his house. And with this lack of respect that made Steve want to scream and he had never been the one with a wish to shout of pure irritation.

"Danny," Steve called after him and shut the door with a force that made the walls tremble, "Danny, what are you doing here, and why are you wearing surf clothes?" He scrubbed a hand over his face and braced himself for one of Danny's unpredictable answers. "And why are you already in my kitchen?" Steve couldn't help but shout after Danny. This guy knew no manners.

"I knocked, didn't I?" Danny's face appeared with a smile from where he had his head stuck in the fridge. Four beers dangled from between his fingers. It was one of Danny's honest grin where he didn't hold back. And the way he flashed it at Steve, warm-heartedly and deeply affectionate toyed with Steve's balance. The strangeness of the situation twisted in his stomach.

Steve felt dazed and leaned against the door jamb for support. He ducked his head and hid his emotions behind a scowl. He made a desperate move with his hand taking in Danny's posture and trying to make a point with his fingers. 

Danny's grin was still plastered all over his face. "Surf clothes, yes. People who wear surf clothes normally tend to go surfing. Riddle solved. And that's what I have planned for you tonight." Danny squeezed past Steve. He held the beers in one hand while he jabbed Steve's chest with his finger. "Birthday boy, you're ready?" Danny swaggered back to the entrance door with the confidence of someone who's used to give orders.

Steve was thrown and that was an understatement. "Surfing? You and me? Now? Seriously?" Steve stuttered with his arms hanging loosely at his side. "You can't surf, Danny." He stated lamely. He wasn't sure if he made it through a fun surf with Danny wearing flimsy shorts and a rash guard that highlighted his broad shoulders and his masculine, extensive hairy arms.

Danny chuckled and bit his lips. Steve had to look away. "It's nice to know that I'm still able to surprise you, babe." Danny juggled with the beers and opened the front door. "You have five minutes to change. I'll wait in the car." Danny winked and leisurely strolled to the Camaro.

"You can't surf, Danno! You're a beginner!" Steve shouted with a voice too hoarse. He wanted to scream and to giggle and to demand an explanation. He knew Danny wouldn't let him off the hook. 

"Kono happened, Steve. I told you about my lessons. She's fierce and pushy and it seems I have some hidden talents. Suit up!" Danny shouted back with an amused tone.

Steve hugged his chest tightly and blew air out of his nose. He swallowed, once, twice and ignored the uncomfortable feeling of how his shirt was glued to his back. He broke in a sweat over Danny who just conquered his house like a pirate in damn surf shorts. "Where we going?" He called after Danny, still standing a bit lost in the living room with the door wide open.

"Surfing!" Danny's answer was loud and joyful.

Steve's arms shot up in sheer irritation. He felt flustered. He just stood there but he still ran out of breath. "I made some popcorn! It was my last bag!" Steve knew Danny would never let that one got. What a ridiculous attempt to sabotage such an unforeseen, delightful birthday present. Danny made him look like a rookie about how he dealt with common, well-known tasks like how to remember intelligent sentences to conduct a simple conversation.

"Seriously, Steve? That's your excuse? I can call Kono. I'll tell her you wouldn't want to go surfing with me because she's a bad teacher and you don't trust my skills."

Steve heard Danny laugh. "I knew, you'd play dirty. That's rich, Danny. Don't drag Kono into this." He should pack his bag but instead his eyes were glued to brawny underarms and strong calves. Danny wiggled his toes. He leaned with his back against the hood of Steve's truck and looked just like a native surfer boy. 

Danny combed with both his hands through his hair and flashed a toothy grin at Steve. The challenge flared up fast and intense. "If you're not ready in three minutes I'll drive your truck for the next two weeks!"

Steve debated for two seconds about what he should do. Shout back an inappropriate answer or turn around to go pack his stuff? He murmured mostly swear words under his breath when he threw a towel, a spare shirt, and a second pair of surf short into his duffle bag. He pulled the door close and grabbed his board on his way to his car where Danny waited patiently and eyed his moves closely. Steve's heartbeat leaped.

Steve placed his surfboard next to Danny's and dropped into the driver's seat. "No one drives my truck." He glared at Danny who seemed super unimpressed.

"Two and a half minutes. Don't press your luck." Danny beamed and settled into the passenger's seat. He fiddled with the radio until he found a song he liked.

"Where are we going?" Steve asked while the motor ran. He cast Danny a quick look. "We have about two hours until the sun sets."

"Kono said you knew some good places but she also wrote me the name of a local surf spot on a paper. I can't even pronounce that name." Danny pulled a tatty looking paper from his pocket.

"Don't bother. Yeah, I know a place. Okay, south shore it is." Steve drove off. "There's a great beginner's spot south of Kamehameha Iki Parks in Lahaina."

Danny's head jerked up. "You make me ride baby-waves?" 

Steve shook his head, a bright smile tugging at his lips. He turned his head and looked Danny straight in the eyes. "Gentle waves they're called and you still have to improve your ocean awareness." Steve focused back on the road. "You're a beginner, Danny and I give a damn if you want to impress me. I don't enter deeper water where bigger waves could cause a dangerous wipe-out. I need to know you're safe and that's why we visit a beginner's spot. No risk in the water. The ocean has to be respected. Got it?" 

Danny was about to butt in and Steve cut him off by simply overruling him with words. "I'm sure that's what Kono wrote on that note. And besides, Kono breathes down my neck. The moment you've started with surfing lessons she pulled me aside one morning and threatened to break all my ribs if I try to dare you into a surfing challenge. She had me promise I would take care of you in the water and that's what I'm doing, Danny. Not negotiable. Water safety, wave conditions – you have still a long way to go. Okay?" 

Danny's gaze was unreadable and his answer was a single word, his voice gentle, "okay." And after a beat of silence, he asked a funny question. "You only take care of me because Kono threatened you with violence?" Danny didn't turn his head.

Steve felt his stomach drop and it took him two seconds to answer. "Kono can be very intimidating."

Danny shifted unnoticeable in his seat. "You would never guess." He said that to the closed window.

Steve pursed his lips and shifted up a gear. "And no, that's not the only reason. I need to know you're safe." He side-eyed Danny. The small smile on Danny's lips made his heart ache.

"You're from New Jersey, Danny. It's a place well-known as a great surf spot for addicted surfers. I mean, you've had the ocean right in front of your doorstep – I mean, did you never have had the urge to get on a board, try it, get the feeling and all?" Steve filtered into traffic.

"Yeah, well, I loved boxing, hanging around with my gang as a teenager. The beach was too far away from where we lived. Besides, I always thought surfer boys are stupid, sun-tanned, sun-bleached-haired brainless guys with a language no one outside the group would ever understand. The ocean was just on the wrong side of the city, that's all."

Steve fixated Danny's profile. 

Danny sat up straight. "What? You don't like the answer? You asked. Not everyone grew up in freaking Hawaii, Steve."

"The ocean was on the wrong side of the city?" Steve's voice might have high-pitched with incredulity. "Seriously? You're kidding, right? You could have just _biked there_. Where's your passion?" Steve wanted to face-palm his forehead.

"Gangs, Steve, they have tough rules. I love concrete and skyscrapers and I was a skater boy. We were outlaws and we were wild. We surfed, concrete not water and we were good. Do you skate?" Danny's words were sharp with a challenging undercurrent.

Steve relaxed into the seat. Danny was short but he made up for the height difference with a strength that could knock out Steve anytime. He only underestimated him once and he got socked painfully in the jaw. He wouldn't make this mistake a second time. "What are you saying? Should I buy a skateboard?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying." Danny turned up the volume of the radio and ended the discussion.

Steve swallowed the mild awe with how Danny just dismissed him without saying a word or being a higher ranked military only by the way he phrased his sentences. He darted a look over at Danny and he imagined him younger, more aggressive, and on a skateboard. It was a damn turn on, that it was.

"I'll buy a damn skateboard," Steve grumbled but Danny's only answer was a satisfied smirk.


	2. Chapter 2

The water was soft and warm. Steve's legs were steady on the board. His attention was a solid force on Danny. For Steve, water always stood for some sort of training, never just for having fun. Yet, here he was having one of those rare moments where life made sense and where he could give in into the thrilling joy of riding waves. His eyes stung. The saltwater was a bitter, familiar taste on his tongue when the drops sneaked past his lips because he couldn't stop the bright smile that spread over his whole face. Danny had skills. His boyish joy pulled Steve in. 

They communicated without many words. The air was filled with the distant scent of the dusk, the heaviness of the Hawaiian soil, and the constant rush of the breaking waves. And something else that made Steve's fingers tingle. He sensed a flutter rising in his chest. It came close to nervousness whenever Danny shouted something in his direction and only fragments of words reached Steve's ear. 

He secretly glanced at the rivulets of water cascading down Danny's neck when he brushed the soaking wet hair from his forehead with both hands. The bulging shoulder muscles had a funny effect on Steve's mood and his balance on the board. 

Danny's naked feet and the way his toes curled to keep a steady stance captured Steve's whole being. Details became a universe where he tripped and fell. Danny showed endurance and he was too stubborn to call it a day although he got wiped out for the third time in a row. 

Steve paddled toward Danny's board. He didn't see the blond head piercing through the surf and the white foam. "Danny! Yo, Danno!" Steve yelled. His arms burnt from the strong, unyielding pulls to get fast to where he had spotted Danny the moment the ocean swallowed him up. 

There! Finally! Steve's vision whited out for a second. The relief was a sickening feeling, too strong as if punched in the gut. He felt super jittery for a few moments. "Don't be reckless, Danny. C'mon, time to go." He watched Danny drag himself up onto the board. He spat in the sea and shook the water from his hair. 

Danny's wet skin glowed in the evening sun. His exhausted muscles were strung tight, the sinewy curve of his neck stood out prominently like a siren's call. He looked reckless and dangerously attractive.

"Can't we go for another round?" Danny asked with eagerness and a certain hunger that spilled from his eyes. Those were passionate phrased questions by a man who was completely caught up in the thrill of surfing.

Steve dry-swallowed. He ignored the salty pang in the back of his throat. The ocean hijacked Danny's heart. Steve could tell when the never-ending longing for the perfect waved drove its beautiful insanity into one's brain. It was happening with Danny right in front of his eyes. Steve gasped and white-knuckled the rim of his board to keep his hands from darting forward. He wanted to touch Danny's face with a fervor that burnt his skin.

The air from his lungs rippled through his strained muscles. "The sun sets, Danny. It's late. It's not safe. Night surfing is for another day. One and a half hours are enough. I can tell that you're tired. No risk, remember?"

"Oh, c'mon, man, don't be a spoilsport. I know you could go on for hours. Just one more wave." Danny's eyes swept the surface, checking already the swell.

"Enough, Danny, I mean it. Another time. Not tonight." Steve's voice wasn't unkind but they carried another message and Danny got it.

"It's your day, birthday boy, you call the shots. And you're right. I could eat." 

Steve watched Danny flop onto the stomach to paddle back to the shore. "What you're waiting for? I race you!"

"Danny, could you –" Steve spluttered irritated before he grinned wickedly. "You handsome sonofabitch," he muttered under his breath while his arms divided the water with powerful strokes to make up for the lost seconds. Danny had a better start but he would be damned if he didn't make it come in first. SEAL training with lacer-focus and all.

Danny trudged through the warm sand with his board clutched under his arm. Steve was a few steps ahead and turned around. He was too satisfied, his bright grin victoriously and way too smug.

"I don't even want to know how you pulled that off. I had the lead. Either you're a meta-human or you hide your gills so well I can't even see them. Do you breathe with your ass or something?" Danny complained with his hand chopping the air. "There are tons of dubious sea creatures swimming below the surface. You as well might be one of them." Danny scoffed.

Steve's cheerful laughter pearled through the fast settling night. "You're such a sore loser, Danny. No, no ass-breather here. A SEAL, remember?"

Danny's expression was still fake-gloomy. "Seals are animals. Yeah, freaking seals. I can picture them, cute fish-like animals but they have nothing in common with you but the lungs. And that's not meant as a compliment, you dork. What are you staring at me, huh? They're mammals just like you, emotionally underdeveloped and unaware of how to treat other human beings. Bite me but that's unfair and you're a competitive over-achiever. And that's so not attractive. Did anyone ever tell you that?" Danny glared at Steve. "You could have let me win." He grumbled.

Steve felt light-headed and the adrenaline-filled blood made it hard to stay sharp-minded. "We don't lose. We win. That's why we're called SEALs. We're the best of the best. We're the elite, leaders, highly-skilled, outstanding and extraordinaire –"

"Shut up if you wanna eat," Danny's finger jabbed the air. His deep blue eyes found Steve's.

"I wanna eat," Steve gave in with a small voice. He carefully stepped a few inches away from their obvious, rough flirting. He cleared his throat a bit confused about the way Danny could make him shut up with a single motion of his hand. Maybe it was more the sound of his voice, sharp and teasing and serious. A very disturbing mix that made Steve's nerve endings frizzle. He wiggled with his hand and pointed toward the cooler Danny had brought along. "Will you tell me know now, what's in the cooler?" Steve dropped his surfboard on the sand and dried his hair with one of Danny's towels.

"No, I won't. Jesus, have some patience. On top of everything, you're also super, annoyingly curious. If it wasn't your birthday, I would let you stew a few more hours just to have my fun with you. Sit down, babe." Danny ordered Steve away from the cooler and onto one of the big beach towels.

There. It was again, that pet name, irritatingly normal-spoken. _Babe_ – that wasn't the first time Danny called him by this uncommon, intimate nickname. He ignored it and fisted the towel in a vice grip. He breathed flatly through his nose to loosen up the knot in his stomach.

Steve flopped to the ground and took a big swallow of the beer Danny offered him. The sun moved slowly over the horizon and the soft shades of red painted Danny's face with shadows. Steve turned the bottle in his hand, thumbed off the droplets of water. His gaze flickered over to where Danny nestled with the towel. Steve watched how Danny lost a pointless fight against the sand. "I had fun, tonight, Danny. Thank you. It was – it was nice. We should do that more often, you know, go surfing together." Steve's voice was low and ended almost on a whisper.

Danny glanced over with a complicated facial expression, calm and thoughtful. Steve's stomach jolted funnily. "I'd love that," was Danny's simple answer.

Steve drank his beer too fast but it was unsettling to experience such a gorgeous sunset on the beach with Danny so close, all wet and loose from surfing. He didn't know how to start a meaningless small talk after they had so many good high-spirited moments out on the water.

Danny had his back turned to him. He rummaged in the cooler to do God knows what. The silence was more unsettling then assuring. Steve studied the mesmerizing play of Danny's strong, defined muscles on his back, how they flexed under the skin. His prominent shoulders bulged with every single move Danny made. Steve's eyes skittered over every single knob of Danny's spine. He tore his gaze away and downed the last bit of his beer. The rush of lust made him scrunch up his face.

The longing was a painful jerk, tearing through his chest. The dimples over the waistband of Danny's shorts were too much to withstand. Phantasy shaped into reality. The balmy night was teasingly lulling and the hue of Danny's darker skin peeking from under the shorts – there where the soft curve of the ass began – made Steve's tongue flicker over his lips. He would have wanted to jump to his feet to run into the crashing surf. He was scared he was about to do a dumb move.

The mood tipped into a parallel reality that only existed when the night was young and full of promise, and when thousands of stars over Hawaii twinkled and glittered. A certain blond detective from New Jersey seemed suddenly only an arm-length away. The wish to touch made Steve's hand shook. He stayed put instead of running off. He didn't want to run away. Not anymore.

Steve waited with a glow of faith and the stupidest hope he'd had ever mustered.

The darkness fell around them like a veil. It made Steve dare to watch again. His eyes were filled with a blistering heat when they found Danny's strong neck. Steve's gaze crawled over the curve that led to those broad shoulders he would want to rest his forehead against. Steve almost tasted the sea on his tongue. He knew how Danny's skin would taste if he ever pressed his lips to it right below the blond hairline – right there on that spot where tendons, warmth, and the scent of the wild would make him see stars.

The words broke free before Steve had a debate in his head if he should say something. "What the hell are you doing there Danny? I'm waiting for half an eternity already." He complained about with an unfamiliar voice. Raw and somewhat angry. Jesus.

Danny scoffed but didn't turn around. "You stay put! And don't try something stupid like tackling me to the ground to satisfy your unhealthy curiosity." Danny called heatedly over his shoulder. Steve heard the grin between Danny's harshly spoken words. "You aren't in any position to complain, you big knucklehead. Just – sit tight for another few seconds. You act like a six-year-old boy with no impulse control." Danny's eye-roll was even audible. "God, you're a pain in the ass when you're not in charge." He grumbled good-heartedly. 

Danny had a way to make him feel guilty for ruining the moment. But he was half-famished. He counted on Danny and the way he would conjure up a heap of deliciously looking sandwiches. Steve cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be rude. I'm just – I'm super hungry and when I'm hungry I'm unpredictable and I get angry. I don't realize when I overstep a line. Sorry."

"Yo, big guy, you didn't overstep a line but you could talk to me, you know? Instead of sitting there all quiet and brooding over the lack of food and why I haven't fed you yet. I guess you hadn't had the chance to attend conversation courses during your warrior education in the army. It would do you good to know how to chat with your work partner in a private moment. C'mon, Steve, entertain me. I'm almost done here."

Steve was too baffled to even come up with an answer. He grunted something in his defense and scowled at Danny's strong, manly and so seductive back. With a delay of a few seconds, he added, "It's the _Navy_ , Danny. It isn't that difficult to say." After that, he drew a blank again. It was always so easy for Danny to fill the gaps. Steve struggled for the right words especially with Danny in such a close range, half-naked, on the beach, by nightfall with the wind whispering in the nearby trees. It wasn't easy to find words, okay?

They rode solid breaks and Danny did well. Steve bit the inside of his cheek to keep quiet and to fight a stupid pride that wasn't his to feel. He couldn't say that out loud too many times without giving his feelings away. He was about to jump to his feet, messed up with nervousness when Danny finally turned around, shielding a small light with his hands.

"Happy Birthday, babe," Danny scooted closer on his knees and placed the plate with a small cake and the single candle stuck in the middle of it on the towel. The flame flickered wildly in the gentle night breeze.

Steve's heart stopped. The sound of the ever-present ocean swirled in the small space between them. Danny's soft words settled into Steve's core. It seemed to be easy for Danny to deal so normally with something so personal as a birthday. Danny's natural behavior grounded Steve's to a point where he felt an unfamiliar sting in his eyes. Danny's kind gesture shocked him. The emotional commitment Danny transported by using the ultimate, yet a simple sign of a candle and a cake got Steve unhinged. He didn't dare to lift his gaze. He stared at the small, tiny flame that fought against the wind, that got shielded and protected by Danny's sinewy hand.

Steve stared down at the most precious birthday present he had gotten in a very long time. Warmth spread into his chest, tightening like a rope around his upper body. He pressed his fist to his lips. He couldn't swallow past the forming lump in his throat. "Wow," he mouthed, "you, you didn't forget. That's sweet and a nice surprise." Steve could have stabbed himself in the eye for tumbling over his own words, stupid meaningless words. Now would be the moment, now he could finally – maybe do it.

He looked anywhere but at Danny. The flare of panic made him hold his breath. What if this was normal behavior in Danny's world? What if it was just that, kind birthday greetings, after a satisfying time on the boards? Maybe it meant just spending time with a buddy? What if –? God, he put way too much meaning to something so trivial. Steve's throat was jammed full of longing and a wave of unwelcome anger caused by being overwhelmed.

Steve would have withdrawn from the intensity. He would have choked the hot stream of emotions that ate up its way from deep inside his heart if there hadn't been Danny's shaky intake. A sound of utter tension, excitement, and fragile hope that shook Steve even more. The wind carried Danny's gasp through the air for Steve to hear. The flush spread over his face and made his lips tingle. Steve's eyes were fixated on Danny's hand and the tiny flame that burnt despite the odds, a strong, wonderful light in the dark.

Danny chuckled nervously. "We all remembered your birthday this morning, you goof. I guess _the Navy_ has messed with you way too much for not celebrating birthdays and other important personal days. I knocked on your door to take you surfing _because_ it's your birthday, babe. And this morning everyone was there to congratulate you on your special day. Don't tell me you deleted this from your memory." Danny fake-mocked. He handled the situation so well.

Steve admired Danny's Alphaness in this tender situation. The constant buzzing underneath his skin pushed Steve forward. He couldn't remember when he felt so clumsy and inexperienced. "Yeah, but you had to buy that stuff, Danny. You bought that – for me. You bought it for me. You planned in advanced and that's special. Very touching. I'm touched okay?" There it was again, the slight anger for feeling trapped in a mood he had little to no control over. 

"Do you really think I would forget your birthday, Steve, huh?" Danny's soft voice made him look up. "Blow it out and make a wish."


	3. Chapter 3

It was easy to be bold in the shadows of the night. Steve's wish was a feeling. It simmered with desire for Danny, the street-smart cop from New Jersey. Steve still tried to figure him out. The sensation that there might be more in life but his dedication to his work hit Steve unprepared. He wanted to taste Danny badly. The need to touch, to inch closer, yanked at his will.

Steve closed his eyes after the flame went out and the smoky scent of the burnt wick lingered between them. The ocean was a black, rolling mass behind them. The smell of wet send hung in the air. Danny was right in front of him. His frame a solid shadow against the melting line of sky and sea.

Steve's eyes traveled involuntarily over Danny's face. His tongue flickered over his bottom lip. It was unworkable and reckless, the idea of reaching out to finally feel Danny's skin under his fingertips. Steve had no words for his yearning but he couldn't stop toying with the bold move to just do it. Unexpectedly they were here at the beach, alone and all seemed possible. 

"You look like you're gonna spill your wish any second. It's bad luck to tell a wish, so don't do it, Steve." Danny whispered but didn't move away, he leaned into Steve's space.

The white of Danny's eyes stood out in the dark. It looked strange and hyper-focused. Danny's look was uncommonly serious. His gaze lay on Steve just as calmly and steadily as he held a gun in his hands. The dimming shadows gave Steve the courage he needed. The words were said before he could even evaluate if it was a good idea. "I can't tell you my wish, Danny but I can show you," Steve whispered. "Will you let me?"

There was no way back from this.

"God, Steve," Danny's voice felt like a tender stroke over his heated skin, "yes."

Steve put the plate with the cake aside and moved closer. His hands were clammy. His breath caught. The first contact felt surreal. Danny's hot skin under his fingertips was too much at once. It was overwhelming in a way where the time stood still. Steve hoped to be patient. His greed to feel Danny was a force he had to wrestle down. Steve's fingertips grazed over the side of Danny's neck. His hand shook when he curled his hand around the solid muscle to hug the back of Danny's head. The skin was hot and sturdy under his touch. It grounded Steve and made him brave to go on. 

The light of the stars got reflected in Danny's dark eyes. Steve's look dropped to Danny's lips. The silky shine of wetness Danny's tongue left on its way over his lips had Steve flushed down to his chest. The hunger he felt made him squeeze down on Danny's strong muscle before he moved in slowly. Steve waited, hesitating, too unsure if Danny wanted this too if he was willing to go all the way.

"Babe," Danny uttered on a breath.

Steve leaned forward, "I'm still not sure if you're going to punch me for doing this. I just –", the uncertainty sagged his will and Steve stopped moving in. "I'm not sure if the strange situation is making me doing this or the seawater or that you went into a grocery store to buy me a little birthday cake. I –" Steve thumbed over Danny's rough hairline at the back of his head. Steve sucked on his bottom lip.

Danny searched for his eyes. He had not even twitched. His posture was a dark outline against the sky. "I'm only gonna punch you if you stop doing what you're about to do." Danny's hand snuck up. He curled his fingers around Steve's forearm. His eyes were fixed on Steve's face. And as always, Danny's touch anchored him, calmed him, and provided him with confidence and more boldness.

"Danny – do you have any idea," Steve said shakily and bent lower.

Danny's grip tightened around his arm and Steve acted more confident then he felt. There's the smallest gap between their lips. Steve felt the soft brush of Danny's breath on his tender skin and he hesitated. Then Danny curled against him. Steve moved in and pressed his lips to Danny's mouth. The softness of their first kiss shook him and he filled his lungs with nothing but Danny.

Steve didn't know what he had expected what would happen. He embraced himself for some typical Danny rant but he wasn't prepared for this – 

Danny's soft lips opened up willingly. His throaty moan made Steve gasped into Danny's mouth. The sweet, slow touch of their tongues sent a shock wave to Steve's gut. The way Danny looped his other arm in slow-motion around his waist made Steve kiss him harder. Danny pulled him in, guiding him but leaving it up to Steve to set the pace. Danny's fingers dug into the strong muscles at his back. Danny held him tight and licked his way into his mouth. Steve whited out, utterly lost in Danny's lustful and tender touch. 

"Jesus, Danny," he mumbled between wet, slow kisses completely overwhelmed with the intensity Danny tried to seduce Steve to open up, to let him in. Steve tilted his head. Danny's nose felt cool as it got pressed into his cheek. Steve held the control over Danny's head, spreading his fingers wide, cupping the back of his head. Danny's hair was sticky with saltwater. 

Danny scooted closer. The hand on Steve's back glided down over his hips and wandered over the outside of his thigh. Danny squashed his fingers in between his bent leg to make him stretch it out. Danny tugged determinedly at the back of his knee to force him into a different position. Steve swirled his tongue leisurely around in Danny's willing mouth as he went with Danny's instructions. The fabric of the board shorts was tightly stretched over his growing bulge. The friction made Steve moan into the kiss. 

"Danny – God, Danny," he cupped Danny's face and sucked at his bottom lip. "What do you want me to do? What do you want?" Steve's hushed words were filled with excitement.

"Kiss me, don't dare to stop, babe," Danny dove in. "I want everything," his kiss was vibrant. It was wet and dirty. A hidden need ate its way through Steve's bones. 

The movements changed, the roughness spiked and the lust hit Steve in the gut. His half-hard cock rubbed against the damp shorts. He whined low. Steve had no control over his voice.

Danny's answer rippled through his body and with a lazy circle his hips caught up the sexual energy. His hands run painfully rough through Steve's sticky hair. Danny's impatience turned Steve on, and he thrust his hips forward, searching for Danny's touch. Danny tugged his head back, fisting his hair to drive his tongue deeper into his mouth. Steve's hand grabbed Danny by the hips and pulled him closer. Danny came willingly. His kisses were dynamite, wet and hard while he simultaneously crawled into Steve's lap. He stretched his legs. He let them fall open and hauled Danny closer to press Danny's crotch to his bulge. He needed to feel Danny's weight on his achingly hard cock. The air was filled with the weak gushes of wind and the constant gasps between their kisses.

Steve forgot that they were in a public place, that someone might see them making out behind a big rock. He didn't care. Every single heartbeat was filled with a call for Danny. 

Danny curled his legs around Steve's hips. Steve's hands found Danny's ass and he dug his fingers into the hard muscle. His abs were stretched taut and his moans were filled with a promise he intended to keep. Danny ground down on his hard-on. Steve moaned roughly between their filthy kisses before he pulled back, panting. He just – he needed to discuss some tiny, important details.

Danny's groan was wild and almost upset. "Why – don't think, Steve, _please_ , don't think – kiss me," Danny palmed Steve's hard length through his damp board shorts. He mindlessly chased Steve's lips. 

Steve pushed up to rub against Danny's palm. He let Danny press the heel of his hand against his dick. He was going to lose his mind. The lust was a hard, relentless pulse in his body. 

Steve threw his head back, groaning low. "Wait, Danny, wait a second. I – oh God, stop for a second. Jesus – Danny, please," Steve grabbed Danny's wrist. "Tell me first," his voice sounded pathetically hoarse. He pressed his forehead into Danny’s shoulder, "please, tell me. Is this a fun birthday present? Are you blowing off steam just because the mood fits? If this is a present, I only accept it if I can keep it. I need – just tell me, okay?"

Steve melted against Danny when his warm breath fanned over his ear. Danny's voice was thin, the words filled with stress. " Are you fucking serious? Haven't you learned anything from all the time we're a team? From the stupid, high tension between us?"

Steve hid his face in the curve of Danny's shoulder. "Keep talking," he mumbled, too ashamed to admit that he needed to hear it. 

Danny blew air out of his nose and sat back a bit by tilting his hips. Steve had his lap full of Danny. He let his arms fall to the side to give Danny the option to move, to push him away but Danny didn't do any of that. Instead, he pulled Steve closer, impossibly closer. Steve drew in a shaky breath as he went. Danny wrapped his arms around Steve's back and plastered his chest to his front. He rubbed his cheek over Danny's shoulder and inhaled the scent of his skin. His hands rested on Danny's hip. Steve wanted to yank Danny closer until there would be no inch of skin untouched. But he hesitated, scared, and excited. A mix so new it made him feel sick. 

Danny waited patiently.

The strain in Steve's muscles left on the next exhale. The air stuttered over Steve's lips. He pressed them together to gain back control. He pushed his nose into Danny's flexed, hard muscle on his shoulder and inhaled deeply. Danny's skin smelled of sea and wind. It caused a yearning that had rooted in Steve's heart from the moment Danny had appeared in his life. The pang of love, the hurtful recognition of home, made him want to push Danny away. His life experience taught him it was safer not to trust, not to keep any hopes up. If this was one-sided, he had to run as far as he could. The emotions were raw and too sudden.

The sound of the constant rush of the waves breaking on the shore was comforting background noise. The day was gone and the night air felt chilly on Steve's exposed skin.

This hadn't been planned. Steve gasped. He could hardly feel his hands and his heart beat hard and fast. He flexed his fingers and clenched his fists. 

Danny wasn't his cool self either. If anything, to go by Danny's arms tightened around Steve's torso. He felt the soft press of Danny's lips on his temple. "Don't you dare to move away, Steve," Danny's voice was a raspy whisper. "You're not the only one with a shaky hope that this might be it, okay? Everything is at stake for me, too. I'm just as scared as you are. And don't you play dumb. You know what I'm talking about." Danny grumbled softly into Steve's hair. He held him so close Steve felt his nipples rub against Danny's prickly chest hairs.

Steve was hot. He felt the extremely inappropriate need to cry. He waited for Danny to go on. He hugged Danny's body with a bruising strength to keep him close to never lose him. Steve was in too deep already. He served with countless men, some became brothers for life, some were fading faces of dear friends, gone forever and some of them Steve forgot. And then there was Danny. A force of nature with too many characteristics that drove Steve mad. With him, time didn't matter. For the first time in like forever Steve wanted to keep, wanted to hold on as long as he could. 

Embarrassment for losing it, for clinging like a starved street cat to Danny, crept alongside Steve's spine. Danny's body heat and the odd feeling of being just in the right place tampered Steve's long-time survival instinct to bolt; to hurt before he could get hurt and to cover up the vulnerable intimacy he just revealed. He held out. He stayed put and listened with a wildly beating heart and a dry throat. He tucked his face into the curve of Danny's neck.

Steve hid his face and ignored the burn in his heart. There was a beat of silence.

Danny's voice was a rumble. "It's not a one-time thing. For Christ's sake, Steve, _it's not_ , okay? But if I say more right this moment you might run off into the ocean because your brain screams 'overload' or some shit. I can't deal with a crazy night dive right now, okay? It's not a one-time thing. It's not one-sided. I'm in this with you like I'm up to my eyeballs in this thing that's happening, got that?" Danny could even whisper-rant with a tone raw from emotion while he rocked back and forth. Steve went with the gentle sway, his mind hazy with what Danny just said. "At one point, we might need to talk about feelings and stuff but not now. Now – we get back to the kissing part." Danny's words ended on a low breath.

In one fell swoop, Steve's stomach dropped. He panted with his cheek firmly pressed into Danny's throat. He felt the soft pulse under his skin, calm and steady. Steve lost the fight to choked the urge to lick Danny's masculine curve of his throat. Steve loosened his embrace to toy with Danny's waistband at the lower back.

"Hey, Steve – you okay? Don't you have anything to say to this?"

"I'm, yeah, okay, good. I'm – I'm good. I mean," Steve mumbled to churned up while he grazed with his dry lips over Danny's stubbly jawline. Words swam in his brain like a school of fish. He couldn't catch any to form a clever answer. His tender lips caught in the rough stubbles on Danny's throat. His fingertips dipped past the drawstrings of Danny's shorts until one of Steve's fingers slotted in the cleft at the top of the tailbone curve. The satisfaction to feel how desire rippled through Danny made him smile into his open-mouth kiss he pressed to Danny's skin.

"I'm good, don't wanna talk, Danny."

Steve wanted to bite and lick until all memories from someone else Danny had been with were erased. Steve craved to be in Danny's heart, to be the one he thought of when he had a minute to spare. He wanted to imprint on him, to left a mark. The overload of too much, too sudden, too unpredictable made Steve's touches rough.

Danny sat in his lap with his legs wrapped around his hips. Steve dug his heels into the sand. The focus on the surroundings was gone. The vast span of the night was mostly darkness. The rhythm of the crashing waves was a pulse that helped Steve to pull his hands out form Danny's board shorts.

"I'm right here, babe. I'm not going anywhere." Danny whispered and sucked Steve's ear lobe between his lips.  
Steve's back arched. His lips wandered hot and wet over Danny's neck. The spike of lust was fierce. He dragged his right hand over the plane of Danny's muscular back and pulled him closer. The skin was sticky from saltwater. Steve sucked at Danny's throat. Danny threw his head back and groaned and Steve pulled him down onto his aching cock. He ground upwards into the heat between Danny's spread legs. Danny fisted his hair and tilted his head sideways to kiss him hard. Steve rubbed with the knuckles of his other hand over Danny's pecs. He pinched Danny's stiff nipple with the back of two fingers, adding pressure. Danny's vocal responses turned him into a lewd mess. Steve's cock pressed into his abs in the tight space of his shorts. He listened to the whiny and desperate noise Danny breathed into his mouth. 

"God, Steve – fuck, – " 

Steve ran his hands up and down Danny's side. "Danny, I – "

Danny's muscles strained harder the longer Steve's mouth worshipped Danny's skin.

"No more talking, Steve. We're good." Danny's soft moans between the words caused Steve a deep satisfaction. "God, we want it both, babe. C'mon, let's fuck on the beach." Danny bit Steve's neck and licked a wide strip up to his ear.

Steve's control snapped. He hauled Danny up and tackled him to the ground, covering him with his body. When Danny scanned his face, lust shook Steve. Heat pooled between his legs and his hard cock twitched. He rolled his hips seductively to rub against Danny's crotch. He leaned down to kiss Danny.

He wanted to see, the moment when he would lock eyes with Danny while he was about to come. They haven't shared this secret yet. Danny showed him how to trust. Steve wanted Danny to see when he let his guards down, at least, some of them. It should worry him how trustworthy he became around Danny, with Danny. They shared so many action-loaded and intense moments between flying bullets and loud, angry shouts and explosions. Often enough they dealt with a bloody gush or torn joint and broken bones. That pain was something intimate, too, being hurt and bleeding made everyone vulnerable. A different kind of vulnerability.

But real and deep-felt emotions such as love were the scariest one of all things. And Steve wanted to look Danny in the eyes when he came for the first time. And he wanted Danny to know. Steve knew his eyes spilled the feelings he was too shy to say out loud. And he wanted to grant Danny that access, that intimacy. Steve's heart raced. 

"I want you to know," Steve's lips found Danny's again and he helplessly canted his hips when Danny opened up to his kiss. Steve dropped down, blanketing Danny with his stupidly large limbs. Words could wait.

Steve's mind drowned in the sensation of Danny's naked skin pressed to his chest. His hips rolled into Danny's hard length. He rubbed his cock over Danny's with the familiar sound of fabric rustling and the constant, faint gushes of the night breeze.

"I know," Danny mouthed between slow kisses, "you don't need to explain."

Steve sighed. "Are you sure? I mean the sex and – and the rest."

Danny groaned impatiently. "What did I just tell you, huh? Do you need a written confession?" Danny pushed his hips up.

"Tell me again," Steve pleaded, sharing the same air with Danny with his lips barely touching Danny's. Danny's hands were all over his back and on his ass. Thoughts started to lose sense again.

"I have been thinking a lot about this, babe. So, yes, I'm sure. Just, stop thinking, alright?"

Steve felt so alive with Danny moving underneath him. Danny pulled at his heart like the ever-present tide. Danny drew him in, ruling his thoughts. Steve deepened the kiss. He leaned on his elbows to carry his weight but Danny's arms pulled him closer until he let go. He wanted this. All of it.

"Happy Birthday, babe," Danny whispered on a throaty laugh. He lifted his head to nibble at Steve's lower lip. 

"You're my best birthday present ever," Steve rasped. He licked at the corner of Danny's mouth, "the fucking best." Steve stilled with his eyes closed, "I mean it."

"I know."

When they kiss again it's full and dirty and open-mouthed. Steve shifted and tried to yank Danny's shorts down but was too impatient to wait. He slid his hand under the waistband. He dragged the back of his hand over Danny's skin. Danny opened his eyes and met Steve's for a wanting, longing moment. "What are you waiting for, babe, please," Danny's voice cracked.

Steve skimmed his hand further down through the rough curls. This drew a dark moan from Danny's throat. The longing sound sunk into Steve's heart. He gasped and covered Danny's mouth with his lips. Steve wrapped his hand around his pulsing length and ran his slowly back and forth. Danny's head fell back and left Steve's lips yearning. The soft skin moved over the hard shaft inside.

"Oh god," Danny whispered brokenly. He thrust into Steve's hand. He reached up to cup Steve's face with shaky hands, "God, this, you – oh babe," he gasped again. Danny's hands dropped to Steve's shoulders.

Steve couldn't take his look off Danny's beautiful face. The way his eyes searched for his made him want this moment to last. He kissed Danny again and again with his fist wrapped around Danny's cock. Danny's hips stuttered without a rhythm. He pushed into Steve's hand asking for more. "Steve, damn," Danny's breath caught.

"I've got you," Steve sucked at the tender skin on Danny's throat and swept his palm over the head of Danny's cock. He spread the moisture over his palm, held tighter, and started pumping. The angle was awkward but he didn't care. He hadn't the patience to pull Danny's shorts down. He listened to each of Danny's needy moans and the way he hoarsely whispered his name. The raw way Danny said his name exploded in Steve's heart.

Danny's hip bucked up, chasing each stroke form Steve's hand until they found a rhythm. Danny's abs were tightly stretched, his breath shallow and fast. Steve pumped his length with a firm grip and a steady pace. He licked around Danny's ear, reading the twitches of his body and each push to find the right angle on Danny's cock. He wanted to give Danny pleasure. He wanted to learn what Danny liked and needed to get off. Danny's hands fluttered over his arms, through his hair. Steve watched how Danny fisted the towel, his whole body arched. His eyes were barely open. Danny was consumed by his need to chase his release. 

"Let go for me, Danny," Steve said, Danny was so beautiful. His skin was pale against the dark shadows of the night. "Look at me when you come, Danny, please. I want – " Steve's thumb spread more of the silky pre-cum over Danny's head. A full-body shudder ran through Danny. "I want to see your eyes when you come for me, babe." Steve kissed Danny gently. He grazed his lips over Danny's mouth, tasting lust and aching need. 

"Jesus, Steve," Danny blinked but his eyes had no focus. His hips bucked, losing the rhythm. Danny's lower back arched upward and his body shook and spasmed. He came with a throaty growl and spilled his load over Steve's hand and into his shorts.

Steve kept his fingers wrapped around his cock. He stroked the softening length and listened to Danny's hard racing heart. Steve peppered gentle kisses alongside Danny's throat and the rabbiting pulse made him want to sink down for the longest of time, to lie there next to Danny. He rubbed the come into the skin still in awe to see Danny spent and limb beneath him. Danny had his eyes closed; his breath was hot gushes on Steve's skin. "God, Danny, you're – god you are," Steve pushed himself up and supported his body on his elbow. His look was firmly pinned on Danny's face when he pulled his come-covered hand from Danny's shorts. 

Danny's hand cupped his cheek. "I know, people talk a lot of shit after they just had sex but you – you stole something from me – Steve," he croaked. His eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. Steve felt the burning intensity like hands reaching into his soul.

Steve didn't know if he was ready to hear it. The meaningful weight in between Danny's words scared him and besides, he was still painfully hard. Steve ground down on Danny's hipbone. He circled his hips and groaned dirtily. He wanted to draw Danny's mind off the emotional confession because that was what Danny headed to and Steve desperately wanted to feel that strong hand around his cock. Danny's hands were solid and comforting, ruthless and wild and whenever Steve saw him punch someone, arousal was a hard kick to his gut. 

Steve ignored Danny's sentence. He humped Danny's thigh where it met the hip. The pressure was pure pleasure. "Danny, I could need – could you, god I want you to get me off. I want your hand on my cock." He gasped and drove his gaze into Danny's blown pupils. "Get me off."

Danny looped his arm around his neck and yanked him down to kiss him dirty and long. Steve's tongue reached deep into Danny's mouth when he angled his hips to make space for Danny's hand. Danny pulled his shorts down as far as possible before he took Steve's pulsing shaft in his hand.

Steve's breath caught. He choked and groaned. "Jesus, fuck – oh yeah, just like that, just – don't, yeah, go on – " Danny's hand was firm, dry, and rough. He began to pump and Steve's eyes rolled back into his head. He shuddered violently. The stimulation was almost too much after he had watched Danny come. "Ung – ah, babe, fuck – " Steve pulled away, unable to focus on the kiss but Danny pulled him back onto his lips.

They breathed the same air. Their lips only touched and their tongues flickered in and out to run over dry lips. Steve's arms trembled under the strain to hold himself up and to fuck into Danny's fist. 

"You're doing great, babe, come on, I feel you. You're almost there. God, love your dick. So hard, babe, you're so hard for me." Danny's dirty talk made Steve rhythm falter. The heat gathered at the back of his spine. Danny's voice filled his ear and the words were a softly-whispered filthy promise against his lips. "Will you come for me, Steve, huh?"

"Yes, damn, Danny, yes. Go – keep, just keep going. Oh god – " Steve gasped. His lips were raw from the kissing and the way Danny sucked them between his teeth to nibble and bite the soft tissue. His face was a single relaxed muscle. Steve was jaw-slacked and his throat was rough from groaning ongoing. "Danny – " 

Steve's hips jerked and lost control. He fucked hard into Danny's closed fist. The orgasm washed over him and his look whited out for a few seconds. He held his breath while his muscles stuttered and tensed hard. His come spilled hot and messy over Danny's hand. Steve watched with utter bliss how his release gushed in thick, white spurts onto Danny's stomach.

"Jesus, babe, you're so fucking hot when you're coming." Danny milked his cock with his eyes fixed on the dark red head between his fingers where he squeezed the last drop of spunk from Steve's dick.

Steve dropped onto Danny's outstretched body. He couldn't hold himself up. His release made him weak and satisfied to the core. At first, he couldn't pin-point the unfamiliar sensation that rushed through his chest, mostly through his heart. Happiness. Steve scrunched up his face and try to temper the on-rolling wave of emotions that tug at his very being. He pulled back.

"Hey, Steve, where you're going. Come on, don't be one of those jerks who can't stand the cuddling after sex." Danny sat up. His hair was a wild, blond catastrophe. 

"No, I just, I need – I need to clean us up. Getting a shirt?" Steve scuttled on all four his board shorts rode low on his hips. He pushed himself up to stand up. He cupped his spent dick absentmindedly to adjust it into a more comfortable position. He hoped to mask the panic he felt pressing up into his throat. The huge wave of feelings was advancing fast, crawling out from behind his heart. He was about to burst at the seams. 

"Babe, Steve. Hey, wait a sec! What's up, huh? What got you scared that you think you had to get up that damn fast. Babe, look at me." Danny asked in a rush. He jumped to his feet and lunged forward to grab Steve's arm. "You have a freak-out. Over what?" He asked uncertainly. Danny's fingers were a painful lock around his wrist.

Steve smiled weakly. "I don't have a – I'm not freaking out, no," Danny's glance pinned him to the spot. The sand under his feet was a prominent sensation. He felt the cooling, sticky cum from Danny's orgasm on his fingers. "I'm just – need to wipe the cum off and,"

"Come here," Danny tugged at this arm.

Steve's eyes swept over the never-resting surface of the ocean. He went hesitantly. He felt ashamed. Danny assured him right before – before they made out that he was in this, too. Steve hung his head and hid his eyes. He didn't want to be difficult or to cause Danny sorrows. It was just –

"What's up, huh? Post-coital emotional overload is a normal thing. There's no need to turn your back on me or to cover it up." Danny pulled him closer. "I'm here, right here, babe. It's going to be okay." Steve stood so close to Danny their thighs touched. Danny looped his strong arms around his waist. Steve's eyes fell shut when Danny's lips kissed the hot skin above his pecs. "Don't hide from me."

Steve felt like an idiot. He bent his head and pressed his cheek to Danny's messy hairdo. He forced himself to breathe steadily but he knew Danny could sense the quiver running through his muscles. "Post-coital emotional overload?" Steve repeated with a shaky voice. "You just made that up," the low whisper moved a strand of Danny's hair. He felt the drain in every muscle. Orgasms made him hungry too. His thoughts were foggy. 

"You're hungry?" 

Steve felt Danny's lips moving against his skin. He was still here. He hadn't left. Steve dared to wrap his arms around Danny to hug him back. "Yeah, I'm starving."

"I brought Jersey's best sandwiches made by me." Danny stepped out of his arms and knelt by the cooler. "I have ham, cheese, and tuna. I have beer and water. Dinner is served." He turned his head. The bright, assuring smile made Steve sink back down onto the towel.

"You're the best." Steve was still a bit on edge, unsure if Danny wanted to talk or if he needed an explanation. And Danny's abs were still smeared full of his dried cum. The odd pride sent his heart into a mad race.

Steve watched Danny dish out all the delicacies he had hidden in the cooler. He grabbed his shirt and wiped off the rest of the cum. His stomach dropped a bit at that. His eyes skittered over Danny's pale skin. He was all relaxed moves, being one with his surroundings and Steve who sat next to him. Clouds covered up the stars. The wind started to pick up and the rustling in the trees was soothing. Steve would have wanted to ask if Danny had planned to spend the night at his place – in his bed. But he didn't know how to ask without putting on display how much he needed Danny close. He didn't want to come across clingy. Steve took a sandwich instead. 

"God, Danny, mmh, this is, man, god, it's freaking fantastic. I love Jersey sandwiches." Steve devoured the first cheese sandwich with five huge bites. His body soaked up the calories like parched earth after heavy rain.

"You okay?" Danny's eyes rested on his face, calm and comforting.

"Yeah, I'm good," Steve nodded and scrunched up the wrapping.

Danny handed him a beer. "Do you remember when I told you that you've stolen something from me?" he asked with an undercurrent in his tone. 

Steve tensed up. He took the outstretched beer from Danny's hand. Their fingers brushed. "I – yeah I remember but – I haven't taken anything, I guess. Your pen? The one you're holding onto, maybe? I took it to sign my report. I just lent it. I don't steal." He defended himself, playing dumb.

Danny's shoulder shook. His low chuckle made his eyes glint. "Have you been among wolves all the time you served? Really? My pen? That's what you come up with? Babe, you're as romantically as a black hole in space."

"Hmm," Steve huffed. A smile played around his lips. 

Danny scooted closer and hooked a leg over Steve's bended knee until Danny was more or less in his lap again. He took Steve's face between his hands and made him look at him. "You stole my heart, you big, handsome idiot."

Steve gasped in the tender kiss. The emotional wave stirred again but this time he gave in to it and was ready to let it roll. "I – I like that." He chased Danny's lips mindlessly when Danny pulled away.

"I have spare shirts," Steve blurted between Danny's kisses Okay, that wasn't how he wanted to phrase it and it wasn't even a question, more like a clumsy-voiced demand. Steve hoped Danny would understand his cave-man talk anyway.

"Babe, you have to work on your conversation skills." Danny cupped the back of his head and kissed him. 

Steve wedge the beer bottle somewhere beside him into the sand and hauled Danny back into his lap. Steve grinned widely and sucked at Danny's tongue. He pulled his head back. His arms had found the way around Danny to press him to his chest. "But you get it anyway," he whispered enthralled. 

"Hell, yeah, I do," Danny answered with a growl before he dove back in for another kiss.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> I'm [https://cowandcalf.tumblr.com](cowandcalf) on Tumblr. My blog is dedicated to Steve and Danny.


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